And They Met Death
by Isilarma
Summary: AU. What might have happened had Draco been the one to kill Dumbledore that night on the Astronomy Tower.


**And They Met Death**

**Isilarma**

**This was written for Round 9 of the Quidditch League Fanfiction Competition. My prompt was to write a story set in an AU where Draco had succeeded in killing Dumbledore.**

**Warning: Character death.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and am not affiliated with Bloomsbury or Scholastic Inc.**

* * *

"Are you ready?"

Harry swallowed. "As I'll ever be."

Ron shook his head. "You can't do this. There has to be another way. Hermione, Bill, they can find something-"

"But not in time," Harry insisted. "He's on his way now Ron, and if I don't go he'll kill everybody here!" He shook his head, his anger fading as suddenly as it had come. "You know there's no other choice."

Ron's hands clenched into fists but he didn't argue. Harry drew in a deep breath and turned to Hermione. "You know what to do. Once I'm gone, there's just the snake. Kill it and then leave the rest to Snape." His lips quirked into a bitter smile. "You always did tell us to leave things to the teachers."

Hermione's eyes were very bright. "Harry..."

"I've known it was coming," Harry reminded her. "I've known for months now."

"I know, but I never thought it would actually happen." Her voice cracked but she kept talking. "I thought we would find a way to get it out of you, or find a way of destroying it without harming you." Tears streamed unheeded down her face as she threw her arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry, Harry."

Harry hugged her back as tightly as he could. "You've got nothing to be sorry for. Neither of you have," he said, glancing at Ron. "I mean, look at what we did. We found his Horcruxes. More than that, we destroyed them."

"Not all of them," Ron mumbled.

Harry's breath caught as the now familiar icy fear shot through him. "Maybe not," he allowed. "But we did everything we could." He swallowed. "I couldn't have done any of this alone."

Hermione sniffed and dew back to look him in the eye. "We would have gone with you to face him," she said quietly.

"What good would that do?" Harry asked. "There's no point in you dying too."

"We can't just watch you walk away, mate," said Ron. "Not after all this."

Harry reached out to grip his shoulder. "You have to. You have to live. You have to prove that he hasn't won." He looked at them, taking in their tear-stained faces and their clasped hands, and found his vision blurring. "You have to prove that this wasn't for nothing."

Ron and Hermione would survive. They would get married, have a few kids and live happily ever after. But Harry had known for a long time that he would not get such an ending. Once he would have raged and fought against that idea, but now that it came to it he knew there was no point. There was no spell that could fix this, no charm or potion. Voldemort could only be destroyed if his Horcruxes were too.

To destroy Voldemort, to save his friends and the wizarding world, Harry Potter chose to die.

* * *

"Are you ready?"

Severus didn't take his gaze from the window. "It is a little late not to be." Already he could see the Dark Lord's forces gathering at the boundaries of the school. Somewhere within that mass...

"Severus?"

Severus sighed and turned away. "Have the students left?"

Minerva nodded. "Argus is escorting the last of them now. Those that were willing to leave."

"No one under seventeen-"

"I have checked," Minerva assured him. "All staying are of age." She rubbed her eyes, and Severus frowned when he saw the deep lines of fatigue etched into her face.

"Are you sure-"

Minerva's eyes narrowed. "Do you really want to finish that sentence?"

Severus felt the ghost of a smile touch his lips. "Gryffindors."

She quirked an eyebrow at him. "I see your Slytherin sense of self-preservation is still alive and kicking." Her smile faded as she looked out the window. "There are quite a few of them, aren't there?"

Severus just grunted. "Are the Order in position?"

"Yes. Just as they have been for the past two hours."

"Make sure the students know to stay close to them. Especially Longbottom." The boy might be a reckless fool, but Severus had no desire to see him get hurt, particularly after this past year. It would be a shame to see all that growth come to nothing.

As if sensing his thoughts, Minerva touched his arm. "They will be all right. They aren't stupid; they know their limits."

"I know," said Severus quietly. "At least we will be able to keep the Dark Lord's attention away from them."

Minerva's expression darkened at the reminder. "Aye, we will at that." She hesitated a moment. "Severus-"

"We have been over this, Minerva," Severus interrupted. "We need a target he cannot resist." And since Potter would be otherwise occupied, the infamous traitor was the perfect solution.

"Yes," said Minerva. "But I think we will give him a bit more than he bargained for." She gave a grim smile. "Filius and I are rather good at magic too, you know."

Severus didn't reply. They might be able to kill the Dark Lord. They might even win this war. But Severus was under no illusions. Barring Potter, he was the one the Dark Lord was most anxious to kill, and Severus knew better than anyone just how capable his former master was. And if he had, as Albus suspected, obtained the power of the Elder Wand...

Severus closed his eyes, and thought of Lily.

* * *

"Are you ready, my Lord?"

Voldemort turned slowly. There stood the Malfoy boy, his grey eyes gleaming with barely suppressed anticipation. Lucius hovered behind him, his face a curious mask of pride and wariness. Voldemort briefly wondered if he had suspected anything, but dismissed the thought. Even if he had, it was of no consequence. The boy had been useful, but now...

"So anxious to face your former schoolmates, Draco?"

Lucius flinched at the words, but Draco merely drew himself up. "I want to find the Weasels. And that Mudblood." His face twisted into a scowl. "I'll have them begging for mercy."

Voldemort studied him. Yes, Draco had become more than he had ever expected. Killing the old fool had done him good. He had been honoured above all others, the good name of his family restored.

But now there were things to be done.

"I applaud you eagerness, Draco," he said softly. "But I have other plans for you."

Confusion showed on the boy's pointed face. "My Lord?"

Voldemort twirled the Elder Wand in his hand. Draco's eyes followed the movement, his expression one of complete bemusement, but Lucius went white as a sheet.

"My Lord, may I say-"

"Your input is not required, Lucius," said Voldemort.

Lucius swayed at the reprimand, but opened his mouth once more. "I must ask-"

"What you must do is see to your fellows." His eyes narrowed. "Or do you question me?"

Lucius hesitated a moment longer, his eyes desperately travelling between Voldemort and his son, but he eventually gave a low bow. "No, my Lord," he muttered. He gave a low bow, shot one final, anguished look at Draco and left the room. Draco stared after him, then back at Voldemort.

"My Lord? What's going on?"

The arrogance was gone from his voice now, and Voldemort was pleased to see the fear that had long been absent back in his eyes. He should have done this a long time ago.

"You have done well, Draco," he said quietly. "Better than I expected."

Draco bowed. "I-I live to serve you, my Lord." Despite his words, there was no mistaking the wariness in his voice. Voldemort allowed a smile to spread across his face, and Draco took an involuntary step back. "My Lord?"

"There is one more service you can do for me." Draco's eyes widened, but Voldemort had already pointed his wand at him. "Avada kedavra!"

Green light blazed and Draco fell, but Voldemort paid the body no need. All his attention was on the wand in his hand, and the magic that blazed through his veins.

"Bella."

Bellatrix stepped forward. Her expression was one of mingled terror and awe, but Voldemort barely saw it. "Prepare yourself. We go to war."

Bellatrix bowed and disappeared without a word. Voldemort raised the wand to the sky and began to laugh. Snape would die, and Potter would fall, and no one would dare to rise against him again. For he was Lord Voldemort, and he wielded ultimate power.

Not even Death could touch him now.

* * *

**That was horrible. Any feedback would be very much appreciated.**


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